Safeguarding Children: Policies and Procedures The ECB requires all affiliated clubs with junior sections to adopt its Safe Hands Policy for the protection and welfare of children (i.e. under the age of 18). Part of Safe Hands means acquainting parents and children with policies and procedures East Molesey Cricket Club (EMCC) has in place in certain specific areas. They are listed below. Please take a few minutes to read them. Thank you. Anti-bullying We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our children so they can train, and play, in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. 1. Bullying will not be tolerated. 2. All instances of bullying, whether emotional, physical, racist, sexual, homophobic, verbal or cyber are unacceptable, and must be reported to the club’s Welfare Officer. 3. EMCC has procedures in place to deal with incidents promptly and effectively. These include a Junior Code of Conduct, reporting to the ECB Safeguarding Team (when appropriate), holding discussions about bullying, why it matters and how to change behaviour. 4. In cases of adults reported to be bullying cricketers under 18, the ECB will always be informed. 5. At EMCC, children and parents are assured that they will be supported if bullying occurs. Changing Rooms and Showering Facilities 1. Adults must not change or shower at the same time using the same facility as children. 2. Adults should try to change at separate times to children during matches, for example when children are padding up. 3. If adults and children need to share a changing facility, the club must have consent from parents that their child(ren) can share a changing room with adults in the club. 4. If children play for Open Age teams, they, and their parents, must be informed of the club’s policy on changing arrangements. 5. Mixed gender teams must have access to separate male and female changing rooms. 6. Mobile phones must not be used in changing rooms. 7. If children are uncomfortable changing or showering at the club, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. Photography and Video Camera 1. Photographs/images are not to be taken at matches or training without the prior permission of parents or guardians. 2. Children are to be informed that photographs are to be taken.
3. Children should be informed that if they have concerns they can report these to the coach or team manager. 4. Concerns about inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer. 5. Parental permission must be obtained to use a child’s image to represent cricket and within the club. 6. When using an image, the club should avoid naming the child, and when a name is used the use of an image should be avoided. 7. Prior parental consent must be obtained for the use of video analysis as part of a coaching programme. 8. Care must be taken in the storage of such films. Transport 1. Parents/carers are responsible for the safe delivery and collection of their child for matches or training. 2. It is not the club’s responsibility to transport, or arrange to transport, children to and from the club or match. 3. For away matches, the club’s preferred procedure is to meet at the EMCC clubhouse before proceeding to the away ground. 4. The club advises parents that late pick-ups of children places managers and coaches in a potentially vulnerable position and must be avoided.
Managing children away from the club 1. For away matches, age group managers are to inform parents of the following: meeting point, venue, directions and times, including estimated time of return and provide contact telephone numbers. 2. Parents must be made aware that it is their responsibility to provide adequate transport to away matches. 3. Under no circumstances should age group managers provide transport to or away from matches to unaccompanied children, unless written consent has been received. 4. It is the manager’s responsibility to take the team kit bag to away matches. 5. For trips involving an overnight stay specific guidance will be given.
Missing children 1. In the event of a child going missing, EMCC will follow the ECB Safe Hands guidelines. 2. The club will ensure other children in their care are looked after appropriately while a search is organized. 3. The child’s parents will be informed, either verbally or by phone. 4. All available responsible adults will be organized by areas to be searched. 5. The area in which the child has gone missing will be searched including changing rooms, toilets, public and private areas and the club grounds. 6. An adult will be nominated at a specific location to whom searches will report back. 7. The child’s disappearance will be reported to the police no later than 20minutes after the event. 8. If the police recommend further action before they get involved, EMCC will follow the guidance. 9. At any stage when the child is located, all adults including parents, searchers and police, if involved, will be informed. Working with external partners
EMCC will consider all obligations and duties before undertaking any partnership or programme with external organisations. Social Media, texts and emails 1. All EMCC Codes of Conduct and photography guidelines apply online and in text and email communications. 2. Coaches, managers and EMCC will not send text messages to children; all arrangements will be made via their parents/carers. 3. Coaches, managers and EMCC will not send private messages to children via social media and will not invite or accept children to become ‘friends’. 4. For children of 16 or 17 it may acceptable, with the parent’s prior consent, to email or text the parent and to copy in the child. The parent must receive the same messages as the child. 5. All contact with children will be in relation to coaching, matches and cricket related activity. 6. Any concerns regarding the inappropriate use of social media should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.
Supervising children at cricket sessions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
A minimum of two responsible adults will be present in all circumstances. For single sex groups there must be at least one same gender member of staff. For mixed groups there must be one male and one female supervising adult. The ratios of qualified coaches to children are: Net Coaching: 1 coach: 8 children Group Coaching: 1 coach: 24 children Hard Ball Coaching: 1 coach: 16 children Regular intervals for drinks will be arranged.
Wearing of cricket helmets by Young Players 1. Helmets with faceguards or grilles must be worn when batting against a hard cricket ball. 2. Wicket keepers must wear a helmet with a faceguard, or a wicketkeeper face protector. 3. Young players are not allowed to bat or stand up to the stumps when keeping wicket against a hard ball without wearing appropriate protection. 4. Young players should regard a helmet, pads, gloves and an abdominal protector (for boys) as part of their normal protective equipment for practice and matches. Fielding and fast bowling EMCC abides by the ECB fielding regulations and fast bowling directives. Children playing in Open age matches 1. ECB helmets, fast bowling directives and fielding regulations will be adhered to for junior players in adult matches. 2. The Captain will inform the opposing captain and umpires of under 18s in the side. 3. Players who are selected in a County U12 squad in spring for a summer squad, or in another squad deemed by ECB Performance Managers to be of a standard above ‘district level’ for that season are eligible to play Open age cricket. This is providing they are at least 11 years old, are in school year 7 on 1st September in the year preceding the season, and have written parental consent to play.
4. District and club players who are not in a county or area squad must wait until they reach the U13 age group, be in Year 8 and be 12 years old on 1st September of the preceding year before being able to play in any Open age cricket. Written parental consent is required. 5. The club has a duty of care: - not to place a young player in a position that involves unreasonable risk - not to create a situation that places members of the opposing side in a position whereby they cannot play cricket as they would normally do against adult players. Girls playing in boys’ age group leagues and competitions 1. EMCC encourages the development of girl cricketers and is happy for them to participate in boys’ cricket. 2. In ECB national competitions the age group requirement applies to all players regardless of their sex. 3. In local leagues, and other leagues, EMCC will follow the competitions age group requirements. 4. Boys cannot play in girls’ leagues or competition unless this is explicitly stated in the rules of that competition. 5. EMCC’s duty of care applies to all players and girls should only be allowed to participate if the responsible adults are satisfied they are competent to do so.